to postpone the date one year due to a late spring. I 
promise that you'll be glad you came. So, Please 
Come! 
The high point of the season was the Central Inter- 
national Glad Show at Rochester, Minnesota on August 
7 and 8. Many glad critics told us that it was the 
most beautiful display of glads that had ever been 
staged. A forest of handsome, tall evergreens provid- 
ed an inspiring background for the flowers. Hats off 
to the hard work and enthusiasm of the show com- 
mittee of the Minnesota Gladiolus Society for making 
this show the grand success that it was. 
We believe our commercial exhibit was the main 
attraction of the show. Show visitors filed by three 
and four deep as they viewed the inimitable Carl 
Starker arrangements attractively displayed in the 
settings of modern wrought iron porch furniture pro- 
vided by the Orlen Ross decorators of Rochester. 
Glad growers, connisseurs and fans were invited to 
visit our fields on Sunday morning. The weather was 
ideal and so was the crowd. We were deeply gratified 
to learn that 300 or more people had partaken in our 
brunch that was served to our visitors and friends 
after their tour of the glad field. 
An opalescent bowi enhances the grouping of blue 
salvia, oegipodium foliage and richly-toned dahlias 
that echo the velvety throat coloring of the handsome 
CRUSADER gladiolus. 
The acme of our season’s growing were the many 
fine seedlings we have coming on. We were especially 
enthused with the lovely blues and fine yellows that 
put in their first appearance last summer. These were 
grown under a cow manure and straw mulch. For 
five years we have followed this practice and each 
year it is highly successful. Each fall we marvel at 
the huge, clean, disease-free bulbs. Propagation is so 
much better, too. We cultivate the ground well when 
the plants are about 6 inches high and then apply the 
mulch. It’s extra work but it pays big dividends. 
Keeps the soil and root system cool and moist in hot 
weather and you'll be surprised how loose and pliable 
the soil remains. I recommend it to my customers. 
If the manure is not available use just the straw, old 
hay, or corncobs. Partly decomposed material is 
preferred. 
Last year we asked you to look for the All American 
Gladiolus winner in our next catalogue. The prospec- 
tive demand for these winners is going to be much 
greater than was anticipated so that it was decided to 
propagate the stock one year longer. Watch for them 
in January 1956. 
In conclusion, I want to thank you again for your 
many fine letters. It’s great to belong to the fraternity 
of glad-lovers! I hope you will all have a wonderful 
year with your hobby in 1955. 
